Greening Imperial Week 2020

From the 10th to the 14th February, it's Greening Imperial Week - a union-led showcase of events and activities around campus that focus on sustainability and the environment. Everyday throughout the week has a different theme, from waste and recycling to travel. Each day you will learn more about the small adjustments you can make to your daily routines to help the environment. Come along to events to learn something new and get involved in sustainabiality. Also check out our stalls on the Junior Common Room/Senior Common and in Sherfield! You can view the themes and what's happening each day below. 

If you'd like to get involved or find out more, email the Ethics and Environmental Officer.

What's on:

Monday (10th February) - Food

Daily Challenge: Try avoid beef and lamb today, or make it even harder and avoid meat all together!

Today's Theme:

Today we are focusing on what we eat and how that impacts the environment. We’re raising awareness about small, easy changes we can make to eat more sustainably!

What's on today:

Activity Details When Where
Students’ Union (SU) Planetary Diet campaign Come find out about the Students' Union Sustainable Food campaign run by the Services and Sustainability Board (SSB).  12:00 - 14:00 Junior Common Room
Less Meat Less Methane campaign Stop by and chat with representatives from the Environmental Society Less Meat Less Methane campaign! Learn something new about the carbon footprint of our food and pick up some handy recipe cards (and perhaps some snacks!) 12:00 - 14:00 Sherfield
Foyer
Feel Good Food Come chat to PhD students from the Grantham Institute to learn about how we can improve the sustainability of our diets by eating plant-based and seasonal foods. Be sure to give the campaign Twitter a follow (@FeelGoodFoodICL)! 12:00 - 14:00 Senior Common Room
Eat More Plants! A talk and Q&A with Pixie Turner Pixie Turner, a registered nutritionist (RNutr/MSc) and well-versed science communicator and speaker, will be joining us to bust myths and share information to help you make healthy, realistic, and sustainable lifestyle choices around food.  18:00 -
19:00
CAGB LT 300

Sustainable Development Goals Achieved:

Tuesday (11th February) - Travel

Daily Challenge: Try get off the bus/tube one stop earlier and walk the last stretch!

Today's Theme:

Today is all about travel – from the way you commute to university to the way you go on holiday. By incorporating more active travel into your life, such as cycling and walking, you will experience health benefits and reduce your carbon footprint.  

What's on today:

Activity Details When Where
Dr Bike
This free bicycle repair workshop is back thanks to the RBKC. There is limited capacity - first come first served!
10:00 - 14:00 Beit Quad
Aviation Emissions at Imperial College London
This seminar is focused on aviation emissions from our university and academia in general. There will be 2 presentations and ample time for dicussion:
 
a) Presentation of a report on aviation emissions from Imperial (several Grantham Institute doctoral students)
b) Presentation on carbon-offsetting and academic travel (Dr Jem Woods from the CEP) 
12:30 - 13:30 Grantham Institute Boardroom
What do you know about flying and emissions? How much do you know about aviation emissions? Come learn something new about flying and our individual carbon footprints.  12:00 - 14:00 Junior Common Room
Watt Bike Challenge Want a set of bluetooth earphones? Participate in our Watt bike competition and see if you can cycle faster then anyone else. Beat the record and the earphones are yours. 12:00 - 14:00 Imperial Main Entrance
Melting Minds: Does climate change impact mental health? Join us for an evening talk and Q&A with Dr Emma Lawrance, IGHI Mental Health Innovations Fellow to discuss her work on climate change and its impact on mental health. 18:00 - 19:30 CAGB LT 500

Sustainable Development Goals Achieved:

Wednesday (12th February) - Waste

Daily Challenge: Try to remember your reusable coffee cup and Tupperware every day this week!

Today's Theme:

Today we tackle the amount of waste being produced due to our daily routines.

What's on today:

Activity Details When Where
Recycling at Imperial How good are you at recycling? Come find out and hear more from Imperial Estates waste and recycling team.  12:00 - 14:00 Junior Common Room
Zero Waste Imperial - Menstrual Cup campaign Let's talk about periods! Come chat to the Zero Waste Imperial campaign about how to reduce waste from your period - and get a discount code for a menstrual cup. 12:00 - 14:00 Sherfield Foyer
Climate Cares Come talk to researchers from Imperial’s own Institute of Global Health Innovations and the Grantham Institute about how climate change and mental health are related! 12:00 - 14:00 Senior Common Room
Beeswax Workshop Join Environmental Society for a Beeswax Workshop! Get crafty and leave with a beeswax wrap (an alternative to cling film) and lip balm (option to bring your own container).  18:00 - 20:00 RSM 3.01E

Sustainable Development Goals Achieved:

Thursday (13th February) - Energy

Daily Challenge: Switch off as many lights as you can when leaving the building tonight!

Today's Theme:

Today's focus is sustainable energy including topics on reducing your energy use and water intake!

What's on today:

Activity Details When Where
Student SwitchOff Campaign Student Switch Off is an not-for-profit international campaign. At Imperial, they have run an energy-saving competition in halls. Come chat to the Imperial representative about the campaign and how you can reduce your energy and water intake! 12:00 - 14:00 Junior Common Room
Debate: Carbon Capture & Storage vs Ending Fossil Fuel Dependency Whether you're an energy expert, environmentalist, or just keen to learn about the energy transition, come to this debate run by the student-staff group Imperial Against Climate Change! Two expert scientists from Imperial will be giving short presentations on each perspective, then the table will open to all to participate in this forum.  12:00 - 14:00 TBC
Secret Garden Workshop with Environmental Society Join ESoc's head gardener for a two hour workshop where you will understand how the nature garden is a resource to enable local biodiversity and wildlife, facilitate sustainable learning, and host social activities. Be prepared to get hands-on! 13:00 - 15:00 Meet outside Weeks Hall @ 12:55
Divest Imperial painting and campaigning workshop Whether you're a seasoned protester or a complete newbie, come along to this workshop with the Divest Imperial campaign. They will be giving a talk about the global divestment campaign and everyone will be involved in painting a banner for the Youth Climate Strike on Friday, 14th February! 18:00 - 20:00  TBC

Sustainable Development Goals Achieved:

Friday (14th February) - Lifestyle

Daily Challenge: Avoid single use plastic today - pack your own lunch and bring your own cutlery!

Today's Theme:

Today's theme reflects on all the small things you should remember each day to improve your environmental impact. Don't forget to turn the lights off when you leave a room. Don't forget to use your reusable water bottle and coffee cups! Don't forget to recycle! And don't forget about all the new tips you've learnt throughout this Greening Imperial Week!

What's on today:

Activity Details When Where
Imperial Food Co-op/Zero Waste Shop If you're a seasoned customer or never heard of it before, come stop by Imperial's own Zero Waste shop! Bring your own containers to stock up on all-organic & plant-based cupboard staples such as oils, nut butters, chocolate and more! 12:00 - 14:00 Sir Alexander Fleming Foyer
Fashion Friendly Campaign Interested in dressing and shopping more sustainably? Come talk to representatives from Imperial Environmental Society’s Fashion Friendly campaign about the environmental impact of your closet! 12:00 - 14:00 Sherfield Foyer
Feel Good Food Come chat to PhD students from the Grantham Institute to learn about how we can improve the sustainability of our diets by eating plant-based and seasonal foods. Be sure to give the campaign Twitter a follow (@FeelGoodFoodICL)! 12:00 - 14:00 Senior Common Room
Greenpeace Film Screening and panel Q&A Join us for a film screening of the documentary "What Triggered the Amazon Fires?" and panel discussion with experts from Greenpeace. 18:30 - 20:00 CAGB LT 300

Sustainable Development Goals Achieved:

Saturday (15th February) 

What's on today:

Activity Details When Where
Vintage Shop Crawl Join Environmental Society's Fashion Friendly campaign for a Vintage Shop crawl around Shoreditch! Meet at Beit Quad at 11:45 am for a 12:00 departure Shoreditch

When Greening Imperial week comes to an end, this doesn’t mean your more sustainable lifestyle has to. Keep up the more eco-friendly habits!

Each event qualifies as one of a Emerging Leaders Partnership Event